Device for fastening and/or guiding strand-shaped elements

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for fastening and/or guiding strand-shaped elements, in particular cables or cable bundles in the case of wind turbines, comprising retaining bodies ( 5 ), which can be combined with a supporting structure ( 3 ) in the form of a star body in order to form a modular fastening system, having a stand passage ( 31 ) for at least one strand element, and are formed from two partial bodies ( 25  and  27 ), each of which comprises a part ( 29 ) of the strand feed-through ( 31 ). Said device is characterized in that, between surfaces ( 13 ) of consecutive spokes ( 9 ) of the star body of the supporting structure ( 3 ), said surfaces extending parallel to each other, installation spaces ( 21 ) for retaining bodies ( 5 ) are formed, which installation spaces are open toward the outside of the star body and have sides that are parallel to each other, and that a retaining device ( 59, 61, 63 ) is provided between each partial body ( 25, 27 ) and the spoke ( 9 ) adjacent thereto, by means of which retaining devices the partial bodies ( 25, 27 ) can be detachably fastened in the installation position on the supporting structure ( 3 ) and in contact with each other in such a way that the retaining body ( 5 ) is completed.

The invention relates to a device for fastening and/or guiding strand-shaped elements, in particular cables or cable bundles in the case of wind turbines, comprising retaining bodies, which can be combined with a supporting structure in the form of a star body in order to form a modular fastening system, having a strand passage for at least one strand element, and which are formed from two partial bodies, each of which comprises a part of the strand feedthrough.

In order to discharge the energy generated in wind turbines, as well as for other operational purposes, such as control, monitoring, and the like, cables and lines, which run through the tower into the power house, must be reliably fastened by means of supporting structures in the tower, in particular on the tower segments. As related prior art, document DE 10 2012 019 493 A1 discloses a device of the above-mentioned type. In this known device, the supporting structure has the form of a circular disk, in which round receiving spaces for round retaining bodies are provided along the circumference, wherein, for the purpose of formation of a kind of star shape, slit openings extending outwards from the installation spaces are provided, the width of which slit openings is less than the width of the installation spaces. In order to facilitate installation of the retaining bodies in this type of design, the disk is made up of two identical plates which can be screwed together.

On the basis of this prior art, the invention addresses the problem of providing a device of the type mentioned above, which is distinguished by particularly easy installation with respect to both the construction of the modular fastening system and the insertion of the strand elements concerned into the strand feedthroughs.

According to the invention this problem is solved by a device having the features of claim 1 in its entirety.

According to the characterizing portion of claim 1, a distinctive feature of the invention is that, between surfaces of consecutive spokes of the star body, said surfaces extending parallel to one another, installation spaces for retaining bodies are formed, which installation spaces are open towards the outside of said star body and have sides that are parallel to one another, and that a retaining device is provided between each partial body and the spoke adjacent thereto, by means of which retaining devices the partial bodies can be detachably fastened in the installation position on the supporting structure and in contact with each other in such a way that the retaining body is completed. This makes it possible to easily construct any fastening system by means of insertion of a desired number of retaining bodies in any reciprocal arrangement, without plates of the supporting structure needing to be separated and reattached to one another for installation operations. Because, according to the invention, the partial bodies of the retaining bodies can furthermore each individually be secured in the installation space by means of the retaining device, the assembly operation of insertion of the strand elements becomes particularly simple because the insertion operation can take place in a simple manner from the open end of the installation space after insertion and fastening of the inner partial body, after which insertion operation the outer partial body is also introduced into the installation space and secured by means of the retaining device.

In a particularly advantageous manner, this means that no threading of strand elements through closed strand feedthroughs is required.

The device according to the invention can be produced in an economical manner with partial bodies which are formed from two identical parts, which are preferably injection molded in one piece from a plastic material.

With regards to the formation of the retaining device, the arrangement can advantageously be such that the retaining device has catch means on the side of the spokes facing the installation space and on the sides of the partial bodies associated with said spokes for the purpose of detachable locking. The assembly operation is particularly simple and practical when the catch means are formed such that the locking occurs automatically when the partial bodies are introduced into the installation space.

In particularly advantageous exemplary embodiments, the partial bodies have a recess on both of the sides facing the spokes, which recesses form a channel, which receives at least a portion of the associated spoke when the partial bodies are introduced into the installation space. Once the partial bodies have been introduced, the retaining bodies are thus secured against axial forces acting via the strand elements by means of a form fit formed between the channel walls and the spokes of the supporting structure.

With regards to the formation of the retaining device, the arrangement can advantageously be such that, on the spokes for each adjacent partial body the catch means have a sunk catch notch and, for cooperation therewith, a respective detent on the partial bodies, which detents are arranged in the channel-like recess on a flexible tongue in each case.

For a particularly secure fastening of the retaining bodies against being pushed out of the installation space by means of the retaining device, said retaining device can advantageously be formed such that the catch notches of the spokes associated with the partial body of the respective retaining body lying on the outside on the supporting structure form a hook-like projecting locking surface which, with the associated detent of the partial body concerned, prevents said partial body from being pushed out by means of a form fit. However, in order to permit a desired disassembly of retaining bodies without requiring the use of tools, the arrangement can be such that the flexible tongues of the detents of the partial body lying on the outside are accessible for release of the catch engagement.

In particularly advantageous exemplary embodiments, the star-shaped supporting structure has, as an inner boundary of the installation spaces, a noncircular inner ring in the form of an octahedron, wherein the partial bodies of the retaining bodies have, on their straight end side extending between the sides having the detents, a channel-like recess in which the inner ring of the star-shaped supporting structure engages in the case of the partial body lying on the inside. The retaining bodies are thus secured not only against shifting inwards in the radial direction, but also against axial forces thanks to the engagement of the inner ring.

In advantageous exemplary embodiments, on the partial bodies next to a depression forming half of the strand passage, in each case a flat contact surface is formed perpendicular to the sides associated with the spokes for contacting of the partial bodies, wherein a projecting positioning pin and a bore, provided for the engagement of the pin of the contacting partial body, are formed on each of the contact surfaces.

For structurally-strong cohesion of the formed fastening system, the device according to the invention preferably provides for a tensioning strap guided over the outside of the retaining bodies located in the installation space. This tensioning strap can be tensioned with a manually-actuatable quick-tensioning closure.

Because, in standard wind turbines, the power house with the generator unit, from which the cable bundle hangs down into the tower, can realize up to three rotations during operation before the power house is steered back, the twisting produced results in cable bundle length changes. It is therefore necessary to allow for vertical mobility for a supporting structure non-rotatably mounted in the tower. In advantageous exemplary embodiments of the invention, the arrangement is therefore such that, on diametrically opposite sides of the tensioning strap, guide rollers are mounted on said tensioning strap for the guide engagement with slide rails vertically arranged in the tower of a wind turbine.

In order to prevent the direction changes of the cables, produced when the bundle is twisted, from resulting in localized overloading of the cables and their insulation in the region of the retaining bodies, the strand feedthrough of the respective retaining bodies preferably has a geometry which is wear-favorable for fed-through strand elements, in particular with rounded end edges of the passage.

The invention is explained in detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment depicted in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective oblique view of an exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention, which is guided in a vertically mobile manner on slide rails in the tower of a wind turbine;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective oblique view, depicted on a larger scale compared with FIG. 1, without slide rails;

FIG. 3 shows a top view, in which the supporting structure of the exemplary embodiment is depicted separately;

FIG. 4 shows a perspective oblique view of an individual retaining body of the exemplary embodiment of the device depicted on a larger scale;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective oblique view of the retaining body, wherein the partial bodies thereof are depicted detached from one another;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective oblique view of an individual partial body depicted on an even larger scale and

FIG. 7 shows a broken away perspective partial depiction, in which an individual retaining body is depicted in the installed position and in a central radial section.

The device according to the invention is explained with reference to the drawings based on the example of a fastening system which is provided for the guiding and fastening of cables of a cable bundle in the (not depicted) tower of a wind turbine. In accordance with the specified prior art (DE 10 2012 019 493 A1), a supporting structure 3, which has a corresponding number of retaining bodies 5, is mounted on slide rails 7 which are vertically mounted in the not depicted tower in a vertically displaceable but non-rotatable manner. The supporting structure 3 has, as can be most clearly seen from FIGS. 3 and 7, the form of a star body, which has eight spokes 9, which extend outwards from a noncircular inner ring 11, which has the form of an octahedron. The spokes 9 are formed by arms 13, which, starting from joints 15 on the inner ring 11, extend outwards diverging from one another, wherein the arms 13 of each spoke 9 are connected to one another by means of crossbelts 17. The arms 13 delimiting the spaces between consecutive spokes 9 extend parallel to one another, so that the spoke surfaces, formed on the arms 13, of two consecutive spokes 9 each form, together with the associated octagon side 19 of the inner ring 11, an installation space 21 for retaining bodies 5. With the parallel extension of the spoke surfaces on the arms 13 of the spoke 9 and the perpendicular thereto extension of the adjacent octagon side 19 of the inner ring 11, the installation spaces 21 have the form of a rectangle which is open on the outside, in this case a square.

The retaining bodies 5 have a square outline which is adapted to the shape of the installation spaces 21 with rounded edge regions 23 and each consist of two partial bodies 25 and 27. These are injection molded from a plastic material as identical parts. Each partial body 25, 27 has a centrally situated semicircular depression 29 which, in the case of partial bodies 25, 27 contacting on one another, delimit a closed circular strand passage 31. For a low-wear mounting of strand elements guided through the strand passage 31, the end edges 33 of the depressions 29 have a rounding. In order to facilitate the fastening of inserted strand elements, which are not depicted in the drawings, a rib 35 is centrally formed in the depressions 29 which extends in the circumferential direction and which projects slightly.

FIG. 5 shows the partial bodies 25, 27 in a position detached from one another, wherein it can be seen that a flat contact surface 37 is located in each case on the ends of the depressions 29, see FIGS. 5 and 6, which the partial bodies 25 and 27 conjoined to form the retaining body 5 contact upon. A projecting positioning pin 39 and a fitting bore 41 are situated on each contact surface 37.

On the sides of the retaining body 5 having the contact surfaces 37, a channel-like recess 43 is situated in each of the partial bodies 25, 27, which recesses extend in a straight line along the entirety of the sides and which transition at the connecting top and bottom end side 46 into a recess 45, which is situated inside the end sides 46 and connects the side recesses 43. While the side recesses 43 have a dovetail-like shape, cf. FIGS. 5 and 6, the recesses 45 are delimited widthwise at the end sides 46 by only partially numbered wings 49, which extend away from the planar front side 51 and the likewise planar back side 53 into the recess 45. These wings 49 constrict the recess 45 to a channel width, which corresponds to the material thickness of the inner ring 11 formed from a metal material. In the case of retaining bodies 5 inserted into the installation spaces 21, the straight octagon sides 19 thus engage in a fitting manner in the respective facing recess 45, so that the retaining body 5 supported on the inner ring 11 is secured in a form-fitting manner on the octagon side 19 against axial forces.

In the recesses 43 extending along the side surfaces, slats 55 which project towards one another with an end flattening 57 limit the recess 43 to a channel width, which likewise corresponds to the material thickness of the supporting structure 3, so that, when the respective retaining body 5 is introduced into the installation space 21, the arms 13 of the respective adjacent spoke 9 engage in a fitting manner in the recess 43, so that a form-fitting support is also formed on the arms 13. In the inserted installation position, each partial body 25 and 27 of the retaining bodies 5 is individually detachably secured on the arm 13 concerned of the adjacent spoke 9. Catch means are provided as said retaining device, which catch means automatically produce locking on introduction of the retaining body 5. For this purpose, sunk catch notches are formed on the arms 13 of the spoke 9 for each partial body 25, 27, namely, catch notches 59 for the partial body 27 lying on the inside and catch notches 61 for the partial body 25 lying on the outside. For cooperation therewith, detents 63 are provided on the partial bodies 25, 27, which detents project on flexible tongues 65 which, as can be best seen from FIG. 6, project into the recess 43 starting from the contact surfaces 37. With the elastic flexibility of the tongues 65, on introduction of the retaining bodies 5, the detents 69 automatically enter into the notches 59, 61 to form the lock. The outer catch notches 61 form a kind of hook preventing the pulling out of the top partial body 25 when the lock is formed. In order to disengage this lock for a desired disassembly operation, the ends of the tongues 65 of the top partial body 25 are accessible from above, as can be seen from FIG. 7, which shows the installed state, so that the lock can be manually disengaged without the use of tools. Once the top partial body 25 has been removed, the bottom partial body 27 can be taken out countering the retention force formed only by the force fit of the tongues 65, wherein the tongues 65 with the detents 63 are moved inwards along the angular face connecting to the notch 59.

For a particularly structurally-strong and short circuit-proof formation of the device used as a fastening system in a wind turbine, in which the supporting structure 3 is preferably formed from a metal material, a tensioning strap 69 guided over the outer circumference is provided to ensure reliable cohesion of the system, which tensioning strap can be tensioned by means of a quick-tensioning closure 71 of a design which is customary for tensioning straps. For the guiding of the overall structure formed from the supporting structure 3 and retaining bodies 5 on the slide rails 7 of the tower concerned, a pair of castors 73 are provided on each of diametrically opposite sides of the tensioning strap 69 on said tensioning strap, which castors are mounted on a support 75, which is fastened to a retaining bracket 77 welded to the tensioning strap 69.

It shall be understood that instead of the circular strand feedthroughs 31 formed by semicircular depressions 29, strand feedthroughs of another form can be provided and that the strand feedthroughs 31 can be formed with different sizes in individual retaining bodies 5 which are provided as a module of the system. Instead of the eight retaining bodies 5 depicted in the present example, said retaining bodies can be provided in different numbers on the supporting structure 3, for example also in such a way that any number of installation spaces 21 are left empty. 

1. A device for fastening and/or guiding strand-shaped elements, in particular cables or cable bundles in the case of wind turbines, comprising retaining bodies (5), which can be combined with a supporting structure (3) in the form of a star body in order to form a modular fastening system, having a strand passage (31) for at least one strand element, and are formed from two partial bodies (25 and 27), each of which comprises a part (29) of the strand feedthrough (31), characterized in that between surfaces (13) of consecutive spokes (9) of the star body of the supporting structure (3), said surfaces extending parallel to one another, installation spaces (21) for retaining bodies (5) are formed, which installation spaces are open towards the outside of said star body and have sides that are parallel to one another, and in that a retaining device (59, 61, 63) is provided between each partial body (25, 27) and the spoke (9) adjacent thereto, by means of which retaining devices the partial bodies (25, 27) can be detachably fastened in the installation position on the supporting structure (3) and in contact with each other in such a way that the retaining body (5) is completed.
 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the partial bodies (25, 27) are formed from two identical parts.
 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining device has catch means (59, 61, 63) on the side of the spokes (9) facing the installation space (21) and on the sides of the partial bodies (25, 27) associated with said spokes for the purpose of detachable locking.
 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the partial bodies (25, 27) have a recess (43) on both of the sides facing the spokes (9), which recesses each form a channel, which receives at least a portion (13) of the adjacent spoke (9) when the partial bodies (25, 27) are introduced into the installation space (21).
 5. The device according claim 1, characterized in that the catch means (59, 61, 63) are formed such that the locking occurs by means of the introduction of the partial bodies (25, 27).
 6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, on the spokes (9) for each adjacent partial body (25, 27), the catch means have a sunk catch notch (59, 61) and, for cooperation therewith, a respective detent (63) on the partial bodies (25, 27), which detents are arranged in the channel-like recess (43) on a flexible tongue (65) in each case.
 7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the catch notches (61) of the spokes (9) associated with the partial body (25) of the respective retaining body (5) which lies on the outside on the supporting structure (3) form a hook-like projecting locking surface which, with the associated detent of the partial body concerned, prevents said partial body from being pushed out by means of a form fit, and in that the flexible tongues (65) of the detents (63) of the partial body (25) which lies on the outside are accessible for release of the catch engagement.
 8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the star-shaped supporting structure (3) has, as an inner boundary of the installation spaces (21), a noncircular inner ring (11) in the form of an octahedron, and in that the partial bodies (25, 27) of the retaining bodies (5) have, on their straight end side (46) extending between the sides having the detents (63), a channel-like recess (45) in which the inner ring (11) of the star-shaped supporting structure (3) engages in the case of the partial body (27) lying on the inside.
 9. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that on the partial bodies (25, 27) next to a depression (29) forming half of the strand passage (31), in each case a flat contact surface (37) is formed perpendicular to the sides associated with the spokes (9) for contacting of the partial bodies (25, 27), and in that a projecting positioning pin (39) and a fitting bore (41), provided for the engagement of the pin (39) of the contacting partial body (25, 27), are formed on each of the contact surfaces (37).
 10. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that a tensioning strap (69) is provided which is guided over the outside of the retaining bodies (5) located in the installation space (21).
 11. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that on diametrically opposite sides of the tensioning strap (69), guide rollers (73) are mounted on said tensioning strap for the guide engagement with slide rails (7) vertically arranged in the tower of a wind turbine.
 12. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the strand passages (31) of the respective retaining bodies (5) have a geometry which is wear-favorable for fed-through strand elements, in particular with rounded end edges (33) of the passage (31). 